High IQ; an Inverse Ratio with Social Maturity

Updated on August 13, 2016

IQ vs Social Maturity

IQ

I had this spirited debate the other day with a colleague. I believe Intelligence by its very nature precludes the opportunity for social maturity because intelligence is not a natural phenomena. The person who reads books everyday is not going to be the person who will jump out of an airplane. They are two very different animals. Books and literature for all it teaches also limits the ability for social interaction which minimizes social maturity.

Inversely, one can be quite wise and savvy without ever being able to read. I know it sounds like a farce but is is not true. As an observational point, I have found many people considered disabled who are quite apt and agile. Social Maturity comes with experience. And for an illiterate person who has little opportunity to escape into books there is nothing but experiences and social maturity.

In Education, we understand that a child's IQ can be as much a help as a hindrance. This is especially true with children with photographic memories. You should see them learn to drive. They can recall and often do every experience they ever had at a particular intersection and then become overwhelmed and drive the wrong way down one way street despite their 180 IQ points. There is also the factor of manipulation. Really bright people know how to manipulated everyone and everything around them so they aren't challenged.

I have noticed this phenomena across all demographics in every society. The smarter an individual is the less social mature or should I just say plainly they are naive. Because high IQ individuals aren't challenged in their lives and they are capable of out manipulating everyone around them. They never gain the social and emotional maturity to actually recognize they need to utilize their full potential.

I am a person that believes in dropping children off in other countries (preferably friendly but sometimes not) and making them fend. You would be surprised how fast I learned French as a child when I was told the police were coming. It was a blink of my eyes and I had French to the ability to apologize to the police and tell them I didn't speak French in French. IQ, not street smart or I would have never answered or even lifted my head when they told me the police were coming in French. Big mistake to let anyone know I understood or could speak another language. An opportunity for social maturity.

So the premise of this article is to hypothesize the higher and individuals IQ is the less social maturity the have?

IQ and Social Immaturity

Do you find people with High IQ's to be Socially Immature?

Natural Phenomena

I don't believe this is a parenting issue. Although I do recommend the books. I believe this to be a natural occurring phenomena in which children who tend to be more cerebral also tend to be more socially immature. I would love to study brain scans of individuals with High IQ(s) vs those who are more Socially Mature. And since it is natural phenomena that cycle can't be disrupted but instead if you have a child who tends to be a book worm force that child into more physical activities and extend that child's social circles. And if you have a child more socially mature encourage reading. Try and find the balance between high IQ(s) and social maturity because without balance the person is hopelessly obtuse. And that should be the goal of all parents to raise a socially responsible young adult.